Improvement in spring butt-hinges



NTTED STATES PATENT Carica.

ABRAM AGKER, OF RAMPO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO J. S. WANAMAKER St CO., OF EOHOKUS, NEW JERSEY.

lMPROVEMENT IN SPRING BUTT-HINGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 36,976, dated November 18, 1862.

To @ZZ whom t may concern..-

Be it known that l, ABRAM AcKER, of Rampo, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Butt-Hinges and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a diametrical section through the eyes ofthe improved hinge, showing the connection of the spiral spring to the head and foot caps andthe manner of attaching the head-cap to the eye of the hinge. Fig. 2 is an exterior view of the hinge of Fig. 1 with the rings open. Fig. 3 is abottom view of the toothed cap. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top view of the foot-cap. Fig. 6 shows a modiiication of thefastenin gs of Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 7 and 8 show another modification of the fastening of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 9. is the fastening-pin of Figs. 7 and 8.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

This invention rela-tes to certain new and useful improvements on the patented springs butt-hinge No. 29,212, wherein a peculiar ring and nut fastening is used to secure the upper end of the spring to the top leaf of the hinge for the purpose of adjusting, regulating, and reversing the action of said spring upon the leaves of the hinge.

rlhe object of the present invention is to effect the saine ends mentioned above in a more perfect, inexpensive, and durable manner, as will be hereinafter described, represented, and specified.

To enable those skilled in thc art to make and use my invention, l will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the annexed drawings, a b are the two leaves of the hinge; and a b are the eyes of the same,which are cast quite large in diameter, with male and female portions on their abutting ends, forming what is commonly termed a sleeve-joint.77 (Shown in Fig. l of the drawin gs.) This sleeve-joint keeps the two wings of the hinge in their proper place during their movement. The eyes a b are equal in diameter, and receive,when put together, a strong and properly-tempered spring, c, the ends of which are bent out straight and are passed into holes or recesses which are made in the head and foot caps a2 b2 when the parts ofthe hinge are put together. The footorbottom cap, b2, is cast with a short neck and two lugs, d d, (shown in Figs. 1 and 5,) which latter nt into corresponding recesses made in the bottom of the eye a. rlhe lugs d d prevent the cap b2, and consequently' the lower end of the spring c, from turning in the operation of the hinge. The top portion or cap c2 is intended to turn loosely ou the top of the eye portion b', and to this cap c2 the straight portion of the upper end of spring o is attached, as will be hereinafter described. Gap a2 consists of a cylindrical head, which is perforated around its circumference to receive a lever which is used to adjust this cap in regulating for reversing the action of the spring c, and also a toothed neck, g, which serves the twofold purpose of receiving and holding the upper end of the spring c and of receiving the coupling-pin ,which connects the cap a2 and spring c with the upper portion, b', of the hinge. The portion j', which is shown in Fig. 4 projecting from the toothed neck of cap c2, is intended for stift'cning spring c, and is fully described in the patent aforementioned. The diameter ofthe perforated head of cap a2 is about equal to the exterior diameter ofthe eye of the hinge, and the diameter of the toothed neck g of this cap is a little less than the interior diameter of the eye of the hinge. The neck of the cap a2 being thus reduced, a shoulder, p, is formed, which serves as a bearing for the cap a2 on the extreme end of the eye of the hinge. Now, when the pintle is passed through the center of the cap a2, and the parts are all secured together by the nut n, the cap a2 may be rotated and the adjustments effected without loosening or removing the nut n. The neck g of the cap c2 must be made quite short, so that the spring c may be nearly, if not quite, as long as the eye of the hinge itself. A good strong spring may thus be introduced into the eye of the hinge. The cap a2 will thus turn freely. and its bearing-surfaces should be kept well oiled to prevent any unnecessary wear of the parts.

g is the pintle,which passes through the axis of the hinge through the caps a2 and b2, and which is secured at its ends by nuts or ornamental portions. (Notshownin the drawings.)

Now, it will be seen from the above descripl tion that I dispense entirely with the octagonal ring which is described in the Patent'No. 29,212, and thus avoid the objections attending the use of said ring,.and the additional expense ot' applying it tothe hinges. l

The operation of my invention is as follows: The two wings ce b are put together by slipping` the male into the female portion ot' then eye. Spring c is now introduced in the eye. 'lhe bottoni cap b2 is put into its place so as to'cover the lower end ot' eye tt', the lugs d d titting into the corresponding recesses in Vthe end of this eye. Cap b2 isheld in its place until the lower end of spring c is` inserted into the hole through this cap b2, as shown inlig; l. Gap a2 is now put'on by introducing the toothed neck g into the upper end of the eyc b, the upper end ot' spring c passing` between two of the teeth ot this neck g. The whole are now held in place by insert-ing thepintle g through the axis of the hinge andusing nuts on its ends, Now,betore the coupling-pint'isl inserted in its place the hinge will work freely, lilieanyOrdinaryhinge of this description. To" apply the action of the spring c to 'the'leaves ofthe hinge, one end of a short lever (a short rod, nail, or anything of the kind most convenient) is inserted into one ofthe holes'in the periphery of the head of cap c2, and this cap is thereby turned around the required' number ot' times, which operation coils up the spring o. The pin i now introduced in its place through the upper end of eye b and between two of the teeth ot' neck g, the action of the spring c (its recoil) will now force the leaves of the hinge together, thereby removing pin z' and reversing thc action of the spring c upon thc leaves ce b, and introducing the pin again the leaves ce b will be forced back, and the spring c will tend to keep them in this open state. Should either the opening or the closing action of the spring c be too great,it can be diminished by removing pin i and setting the cap a2 back the distance ot' several teeth. ln this way the force of the spring c, whether it be to close or to lopen the leaves of the hinge, can be quickly and easily regulated, and by removing pin i the action of the spring c can be taken ott' altogether, and the hinge made to work like any ordinary butt-hinge. These manipulations can all be gone through with while the hinge is on a door, gate, or shutter, to either or all of which my hinges are applicable. Having thusdescribcd my itvention, what I claim as-ncw, and desire to secure by Letters' Patent, ism

lhe device for adj nsting the spring c, consisting of the enlarged cap a2, reduced toothed' 

